Sunday, August 29, 2010

Diggers...

...now you're just being rude.

A while back, I mentioned that some critter had dug up one of my Ground Orchids (Spathoglottis plicata). Grumbling, I placed the plant back into the ground and gave it some additional water - and it seemed to respond. But after missing the last few days in the garden, I discovered it uprooted yet again. And this time it has likely sat sans-dirt for several 95+ degree days.

And this doesn't even mention an even earlier tackiness done to my Chocolate Chips Manfreda (Manfreda undulata 'Chocolate Chips'). It had been doing well - until a critter decided there were likely earthworms in the dirt against the edge of the deck, which happens to be adjacent to the Manfreda. Leaves were snapped & dirt piled up on the plant. Though not as severe, nearby repeat digging has left the plant in a limp and unhappy state.

And this morning, my already struggling (but recovering) potted Giant Lirope (Liriope gigantea) was a victim of some decisive excavation.

Squirrels, raccoons, armadillos - not sure who the diggers are (but suspect a combination of at least two on the list), but now they are just being downright rude.

That sucks! I had a lot of trouble one year with squirrels digging up my just planted bulbs. Someone told me to sprinkle cayenne pepper around the ground after I planted. It worked! Of course I went through about 5 jars of it (from the dollar store) but it was worth it. I don't know if you want to go around sprinkling it around all your plants...sounds like a real pain...but I thought I would mention it.